1. Field
The embodiments described herein generally relate to non-volatile memory, such as FLASH memory.
2. Background
FLASH memory retains information stored therein without power, and thus is considered “non-volatile.” As such, FLASH memory has become increasingly popular for many types of devices including, for example, removable storage devices and mobile computing devices. Unlike other non-volatile memories that are one-time programmable (OTP), FLASH memories can be overwritten by a memory controller. Typically, data is stored in FLASH memory by erasing its contents and then writing to specific cells such that a portion of the FLASH memory, e.g., a “block” of FLASH memory, as a whole represents data that is desired to be stored. In practice, voltage is applied to FLASH memory to erase its contents. The process of erasing a FLASH memory block and programming selective cells within the block is referred to as a “program/erase cycle” or “P/E cycle.”
Some of the ideal characteristics of FLASH memory tend to degrade as the FLASH memory experiences more P/E cycles. For example, the FLASH memory may not be able to store its contents for an infinitely long period of time without power. Moreover, the FLASH memory's programming and erasing characteristics may also degrade. Specifically, a FLASH memory may require higher voltages to erase the contents of the memory.